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Former New York Yankees slugger Aaron Hicks is ready to get the season started with his new squad, the Los Angeles Angels. In January, the outfielder signed a one-year, $740,000 contract, the league minimum.
He is coming into the 2024 season with something to prove. So far, he has 32 at-bats, hitting .375 with two home runs, six RBIs, and three stolen bases. His latest home run came on Tuesday in their victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
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Hicks crushed the two-run homer off of Alexis Diaz. It was an absolute no-doubter off his bat, showing just how much power the veteran outfielder brings to the plate.
Angels fans could not be more excited about the potential season Hicks could have this year. They took to social media to troll the Yankees, who DFA'd Hicks in May last season.
"Thanks, Cashman!" one fan posted.
"Yankees down bad" another fan posted.
The home run was not the only impressive thing Hicks did on Tuesday. He also finished the game with a double, two walks, and two stolen bases. If this translates past Spring Training, the Halos will look like geniuses.
Aaron Hicks and the Los Angeles Angels could surprise fans this season
The talk of the offseason was the Angels losing Shohei Ohtani to the Dodgers. It was a massive blow as Ohtani was the face of the Halos for the last six seasons.
With Ohtani gone, the front office went to work. The biggest acquisition the team made was signing Ron Washington to take over for Phil Nevin as the team's new manager.
Washington is among the most well-respected coaches in the league and often gets the most out of his players. He is depicted as a player's coach, making close relationships with his teams.
On the field, the front office brought in some quality arms. One of these quality arms is Robert Stephenson, who should be an immediate boost to the Halos' bullpen alongside Matt Moore and Adam Cimber.
Outside of Aaron Hicks, the front office signed Willie Calhoun, Hunter Dozier, and Jake Marisnick to help offensively. The Halos added much-needed depth this winter.
While the World Series aspirations will likely have to be put on hold, this team could be better than most expect. They still have Mike Trout, who is coming into the new season healthy and with a plan.
